


Spirit of Christmas

by AgentStannerShipper



Series: tumblr ficlets [37]
Category: Kingsman (Movies)
Genre: Christmas, Homophobia, M/M, merlin is passive aggressive
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-18
Updated: 2019-01-18
Packaged: 2019-10-12 00:42:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 621
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17457356
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AgentStannerShipper/pseuds/AgentStannerShipper
Summary: The neighbors are utter jerks.





	Spirit of Christmas

**Author's Note:**

> For the prompt: “Why doesn’t our place look as good as that?” “Do you know how high our electricity bill would be? Christmas lights are expensive.”

“Are you staring at the neighbours again?” Merlin asks.

Harry jerks away from the window, the gauzy curtain swinging back down. “No,” he lies terribly, looking guilty at being caught.

“Yes, you were.”

“Alright, maybe I was,” Harry admits. He peeks back out the window, “Why doesn’t our place look as good as that?”

“Do you know how high our electricity bill would be?” Merlin asks. “Christmas lights are _expensive_. Besides,” he gestures around at the living room, which looks rather like a Christmas movie vomited all over it, as it does every year, “You’ve done plenty inside the house. Why does it matter what the outside looks like?”

“Because we never have company over,” Harry argues, “so no one can appreciate how lovely it all looks.”

Lovely is debatable, but Merlin stopped trying to fight that battle about twenty-five years ago. Instead, he says, “We put a wreath up outside.”

Harry gives him a look. “A wreath is-“

“Inexpensive, tasteful, and doesn’t contribute to light pollution. And we’re too old to be putting up Christmas lights. You’d break your neck trying.”

“I routinely chase criminals across rooftops on foot.”

“And half the time you end up in the infirmary for it,” Merlin retorts. He frowns at Harry, “What’s brought this on, love? You’re not usually this particular about how we decorate.”

Harry fidgets with the curtain, and then sits down on the sofa with what sounds an awful lot like a defeated sigh. “They were saying some nasty things about us,” he says quietly.

Oh. Merlin sits gingerly next to him, “What sort of things?” The neighbours are new, a young couple freshly married. They’ve only been there a couple months, and Merlin has only spoken to each of them a handful of times. He can’t even remember their names.

“Apparently, they weren’t aware that we were married until I mentioned it the other day,” Harry says. “They thought we were flatmates. Sheila made a comment about how she thought ‘the gays were supposed to be better decorators.’ You should have heard her tone. I don’t even think she meant to be offensive.”

Merlin has heard a lot worse, and so has Harry, for that matter. “Since when do you care what other people think?” Merlin asks. “What happened to the man who literally gave his father the middle finger for refusing to come to our wedding?”

“He’s old and very, _very_ tired of hearing this sort of shit again and again,” Harry leans into Merlin’s side and Merlin strokes a gentle hand over his back, pressing a kiss to his temple. “Things are supposed to be better now.”

“They are,” Merlin points out. “We’re legally married. We’re out at work and no one gives a shit anymore. Eggsy routinely tells me we’re the healthiest example of a relationship he has in his life.”

“I know,” Harry says. “I know I shouldn’t complain.”

“You have every right to complain,” Merlin reassures his. “Yes, things are better, but it’s the twenty-first century. People need to get over themselves. But Christmas lights aren’t going to change that.”

“You’re right.”

“I usually am,” Merlin teases. He gives Harry another kiss, this one on the lips. “I love you. That’s what matters.”

“I love you too.”

***

Harry pauses as he passes their neighbour’s house. There are large letters traced out in the snow in front: FUCK YOU, and the most passive aggressive smiley face he’s ever seen. Well…maybe not the most. Merlin likes to leave them on sticky notes around the house when he doesn’t want to say he’s angry at Harry but wants to get his point across.

He’s not sure the neighbours will get it, but it makes him smile nonetheless.


End file.
